There is major support for this from the British Medical Association, Royal Colleges of GPs and Psychiatrists, Royal Society of Public Health and a number of agencies in the addictions field including Adfam and Change Grow Live.

Representatives from Public Health England - where responsibility for the helpline would lie - did a presentation. Up to now government has been resistant to the idea, but there was a gradual shift in this attitude. However, it is important to keep up pressure to bring about change.

MP Steve Brine, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has announced a review of the "growing problem" of prescription drug addiction.
The review, which will take a year, will cover sedatives and anti-anxiety drugs known as benzodiazepines and z-drugs (zolpidem and zopiclone); painkillers called opioids, pregabalin and gabapentin (the latter two are also used to treat epilepsy) and antidepressants